Update On Max Dupri Being Pulled From WWE SmackDown

It was reported earlier Saturday that Max Dupri had been removed as leader of the Maximum Male Models group, after not appearing with them on Friday's WWE SmackDown.

The PW Torch reported that Dupri, "rubbed some people the wrong way and wasn't fitting in," and that Vince McMahon made the decision to pull Dupri from the group.

A Saturday evening update from Fightful Select claims that Dupri was "unbooked last minute" from Friday's SmackDown. As far as Dupri's reported issues go, one of Fightful's sources said that he, "ruffled some feathers with a couple of scripts", questioning what some writers had come up with.

It was also reported that McMahon had a specific vision for the Dupri character, particularly how he would sound. Reportedly, McMahon, "... wanted the character to sound nothing like LA Knight."

Dupri was replaced as group leader by developmental prospect Sofia Cromwell, who plays his sister, Maxxine Dupri.

Fightful's report adds that with McMahon retiring, there's a chance for Dupri (or Knight, rather) to have second life in the company, "...because he does still have some supporters in WWE that enjoy his work."